Ryan Flournoy looking forward to ‘playing freely’ in year 3 with Cowboys – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
The WR3 in Dallas is looking to up his game.
FRISCO, Texas – At this time last year, Ryan Flournoy was two months away from being waived by the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season.
After joining the team’s practice squad shortly thereafter, Flournoy signed back to the active roster ahead of Week 2, where he began to flourish in Dallas’ offense. The growth process for Flournoy’s confidence stems all the way back to his first preseason game in 2024.
“My first preseason game against LA, I had a lot
of pressure on me,” Flournoy said. “Not that anybody else put it on me, but I put it on myself because I was [from] a small school. I feel like I had a lot to prove… Honestly, I played bad my first preseason game. But as I started to learn and started to just go out there and play freely and play football, I kind of stepped into myself.”
Flournoy has come a long way since hauling in just two catches for eight yards and fumbling the ball in his that debut preseason game against the Rams. In 2025, he would go on to establish himself as Dallas’ third option at wide receiver, posting career-highs in receiving yards (407), receptions (35) and touchdowns (four).
The goal for Flournoy heading into his third season with the Cowboys is being consistent in the habits that helped him get to this point, and continuing to grow his confidence as he settles into the WR3 role behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
“It definitely had a big impact on it, just because I know I belong,” Flournoy said of how the 2025 season impacted his confidence. “I know the offense now, I know how to operate as a professional. Coming in from college, coming in from a small school, you kind of get drowned out. Just trying to navigate what works for you and seeing what works for others, my confidence skyrocketed after I found what worked for me.”
Cowboys announce 2026 Oxnard schedule, open practice, fan events – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire
The full 2026 training camp schedule for the Cowboys is here.
The Cowboys are going back to Cali for 2026 training camp, and the faithful will have more than a dozen opportunities to interact with the team, whether it’s watching practice, attending Fan Night, hearing the Jones family speak at Opening Ceremonies, seeing your little ones go through the paces at flag football training camp, or taking part in a dance clinic put on by the most famous cheerleading squad in the world.
The Cowboys have announced the full schedule for this year’s Oxnard stay, which will have the team charter arriving July 27 and the traditional opening press conference the following day, before players hit the field for the first practice on Wednesday, July 29.
Once again, the team will set up camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields. Spectators are invited to open practice sessions, which are free. Gates typically open two hours before practice begins, and capacity crowds can sometimes force the venue to cut off admittance.
Here’s a quick look at the day-to-day schedule, with all times listed in Pacific Daylight Time.
Cowboys CB DaRon Bland is ready to embrace defense’s new communication-led methods – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
The former All-Pro is all in when it comes to Christian Parker’s defense.
Bland is the Cowboys’ best corner. He’s their most expensive corner, too, amid a four-year contract extension signed in 2025 worth $90 million. He’s also one of the more soft-spoken players on the team.
He smiles when talking to reporters, and his answers are short and direct when asked about improving communication.
“I would say how CP is overcommunicating,” Bland said. “That’s the biggest thing right now is getting everybody on the same page so everybody has the same mindset and knowing what we’re doing.”
Bland understands the pressure he’s under to finish the 2026 season healthy and reminds most that he earned his contract extension after snagging 14 interceptions in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Everything Dallas Cowboys Coaches Said About Caleb Downs at Mandatory Minicamp – Mike Moraitis, SI.com
Caleb Downs continues to impress.
What coaches, players said about Downs at minicamp
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker says there has been no surprise with Downs. He is exactly “as advertised,” the Cowboys defensive play-caller said.
Parker was also happy to report that Downs is “doing great” in his first offseason with the Cowboys and the work ethic, willingness to learn and attention to detail we heard so much about during the pre-draft process have shined through.
“But he’s been doing great. He’s a worker. He looks for coaching. He craves that. He wants to be corrected,” Parker said. “He wants more information. And he works as hard as he can with the extras and everything else. So it’s been good. He’s been good to work with, and I think that he’s trying to advance at the right rate.”
As you’d expect, expectations for Downs have been through the roof. Parker says the important thing is just sticking to the usual process of developing a rookie.
“I think that we try to lessen those expectations in terms of what goes on outside of these walls. There’s a certain process to take as a rookie in general in the National Football League, and we try to abide by that process,” Parker said.
Cowboys veteran defensive lineman Quinnen Williams echoed a lot of what Parker said, and his view of Downs seems to be the overwhelming consensus among the rookie’s teammates.
“He’s a DB first, so I kind of don’t really see him too much on the field,” Williams said. “But getting a chance to talk to him, getting a chance to be around him, see how hard he works, he’s a Bama guy at heart, so he’s the real deal to me. So I’m super happy to have him here. He’s a phenomenal guy, man. Listens, learns, eager to do the right thing and extremely humble, extremely hard-working. So he is as advertised.”
Daily discussion question: What sports are keeping you interested until training camp?
